Training Others To Tap Into The Power Of Research

Right before I gave birth to my third child, Dylan, in April 2022, Yeshiva University’s School of Social Work invited me to conduct a focus group training session for one of their community partners, the Brotherhood Sister Sol in Harlem, NY.

The Brotherhood Sister Sol is a nonprofit youth social justice organization in the midst of reshaping their programming to fit community needs. The organization wanted training so that their members could conduct focus groups among the populations they serve, thereby hearing directly from the people whom the organization aims to benefit and help.

I traveled to Harlem 8 months pregnant, barely breathing in a mask as I stood up in front of the group and gave the training. As uncomfortable as my body was physically, my heart warmed with the positive and energizing feedback I received from the respondents.

Talking about my work and teaching others how to do it really “fills my cup” as the saying goes. It reminds me how much I really love my line of work, because I get genuinely excited to talk about it and feel inspired when participants ask smart, thoughtful questions about research.

I had such a great experience back in April that I was absolutely thrilled when I heard from the school again a few months ago, this time to conduct a focus group training via Zoom, for a different set of participants. Just as before, I felt energized and inspired talking about research and the work I’ve done, and even got to share examples of really interesting groups of people I’ve moderated in my work for the NYC Department of Health, like daily heroin users, transgender HIV positive individuals, and Hep C patients, among others.

One insight I had recently that I shared with the training group is that focus groups are at their best when your participants feel like what they’re going to say will not only be heard, but valued. For many people from vulnerable or marginalized populations, the focus group might be one of the first times in their lives they really feel like someone is actually listening. The power of this experience cannot be overstated—when people feel seen and heard, they give you some of the best insights market research could ever glean, because they allow themselves to be their authentic selves.

Insights drawn from the courageous honesty of human beings obviously has huge impact potential for brands and nonprofits alike, but it’s also what I love so much about my job. Being able to create those conditions for authenticity to bloom, to hold space for my participants’ truth, and to make them feel seen and heard—all of this makes my job feel like an honor.

I’m so excited to help other people do the fascinating work of research and invite groups, companies, or organizations interested in trainings to contact me for more information.

Brittany (second from right) 8 months pregnant, giving a focus group training at Brotherhood Sister Sol in Harlem, NY, March 2022. Thank you for inviting me, Yeshiva University!